Ex-sex slaves demand Japan PM acknowledge past

TOKYO (AP) — Five former victims of Japan’s wartime sex slavery and their supporters have submitted to the government hundreds of official documents, demanding Prime Minister Shinzo Abe face Japan’s past atrocity and formally apologize.

The group said Monday the documents collected from around the world include clear evidence of coercion.

Japan has been criticized by Asian neighbors over an attempt to review the process of interviews with some former Korean victims.

Abe has promised Japan won’t change its 1993 apology over the “comfort women” system of forced prostitution, but it is still re-examining the study that led to the apology. Japan insists there is no proof the women were coerced, citing the lack of official Japanese documents stating so.